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| AN ANALYSIS OF THE SITE SELECTION OF THE MILITARY FORTRESS ALONG THE MING GREAT WALL——A Case Study of Ning-Shan-Jin-Ji Example |
| LI Zhe, ZHANG Yu-kun, LI Yan |
| School of Architechture, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China |
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Abstract The military fortresses along the Great Wall in Ming dynasty were a series of towns where troops were stationed for frontier defense. Through on-the-spot investigation of hundreds of fortresses and historical researches, the authors bring forward four factors affecting site selection including the location of the Great Wall, the fighting distance, the theory of the traditional Feng-Shui, and the terrain. The location of the Great Wall is a direct factor; the fighting distance dictates that the distribution of the fortresses is thirty or forty Li apart. Terrain has the closest connection with fortress site, as can be seen in Chinese ancestors' defense strategy of setting fortress right in narrow pass. The fortresses can be classified into four types according to their relations to the natural surroundings. The first type is located on high mountains; the second is in basins, the third is in the way of the foot of mountain; and the last is in deserts. The characteristics of the first type are as follows. The fortresses are located on mountain tops, and easy to hold but hard to attack, overlooking the surrounding valleys. Most fortresses are small because of the narrow land, but some are large whose ramparts are built along the ridge for effective defense. The characteristics of the second type are that the fortresses are located at the foot of a mountain and beside a river. Usually beacon towers are built on surrounding hilltops for the purpose of observation. The characteristics of the third type are that the fortresses are usually located at a mountain pass, flanked by two precipitous mountains. The fortresses should control the land and water traffic. Therefore it always located near a road, backed with a mountain as a natural barrier against intruders. The characteristics of the fourth type are that the fortresses are in deserts or hilly areas, with neither high mountains nor waters around. Fortresses are an inseparable part of the Great Wall. They contain abundant frontier history and military culture.
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Received: 29 June 2010
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2011, Vol. 26 
